Wireless networks, such as, for example, wireless networks in industrial plants, can have many applications, such as, for instance, tracking applications (e.g., monitoring the location of individuals in the plant) and safety applications (e.g., monitoring the plant for fire or harmful chemicals). As such, the location of the access points (e.g., communication nodes) of the wireless network should be planned to ensure that the quality of the network (e.g., network latency, redundancy, connectivity, signal coverage, etc.) is sufficient to perform these applications.
However, the environment, topology, types of materials, and/or objects of where the wireless network is to be deployed, among other factors, can make planning a wireless network (e.g., the location of the access points of the wireless network) difficult. For example, some previous approaches for planning wireless networks may include conducting surveys, such as radio frequency (RF) and/or received signal strength indicator (RSSI) surveys, of where the network is to be deployed, creating a model and/or map of where the network is to be deployed (e.g., using ranging equipment), and/or manually deploying the access points by a trial and error method. Such approaches, however, can be costly and/or time consuming, and/or may not meet the quality requirements of the network.